Thursday's news summary, July 10, 2014

NEWS: What does IBM's $3 billion innovation plan mean for Big Blue's East Fishkill chip fabrication plant? That's the question being asked amid IBM's massive news regarding plans to invest $3 billion in next-generation computer chips. The question wasn't addressed Wednesday by IBM, fueling new speculation about any possible ripple effect on the company's mid-Hudson Valley plants, which employ more than 7,000. But industry analysts told the Journal on Wednesday night that the East Fishkill plant remains a vibrant part of the industry. IBM's announcement has the potential to transform the technology world. While a news release explaining the five-year plan mentions "IBM Research scientists and engineers from Albany and Yorktown, New York, Almaden, California, and Europe," there is no mention of East Fishkill's research and development or chip fabrication. When asked what impact the plan would have on operations in East Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, IBM spokesman Doug Shelton declined comment. For years, the East Fishkill plant has been an industry leader in manufacturing computer chips, which are used to power everything from handheld devices created by other companies to mainframe computers assembled in the IBM Route 9, Poughkeepsie plant. They're, in essence, the "brains" of those computers, and over the years, they've gotten smaller, more powerful and more efficient.

A recent commitment by IBM to retain at least 3,100 high-tech jobs in New York, mainly in Dutchess County, will be preserved as part of the company's announcement Wednesday to invest $3 billion in computer chip development and research. A source involved in the discussions between IBM and New York told Gannett's Albany Bureau on Thursday that the state's deal with IBM in February to retain the jobs will remain intact. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because of ongoing negotiations. The state also expects that the bulk of IBM's $3 billion investment will be in New York, where IBM has major facilities in East Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and Yorktown,Westchester County. New York's confidence in IBM's commitments come as the company's future in the state has made residents, employees and local governments nervous about a potential mass exodus of jobs in the Hudson Valley. IBM appeared to seek to assuage some concerns late Wednesday when it said would invest $3 billion to develop a "new era" of computer chips over five years. But the announcement doesn't address what appears to be ongoing talks between IBM and GlobalFoundries about a potential sale of IBM's assets in East Fishkill andBurlington, Vt., to GlobalFoundries – which has a burgeoning chip factory outside Albany. There was no immediate comment from IBM about its commitment in New York or the impact the $3 billion investment would have on company's sites in East Fishkill and Poughkeepsie.

A City of Poughkeepsie man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for attempted murder. Judge Stephen L. Greller sentenced David E. King, 46, today, Thursday, in Dutchess County Court, weeks after his trial concluded and more than a year after he shot 41-year-old city resident Christopher Clarke inside the Carroll Street apartment building where they both had lived. King's wife was staying with Clarke and his girlfriend in a neighboring apartment, after she filed an order of protection against her husband. King came to the apartment with a handgun and shot Clarke, while attempting to confront his wife. "You shot a defenseless man and just by the grace of God he's still alive," Greller told King, prior to imposing sentence. "…No community in which you live is safe." King was convicted of five criminal charges that included: second-degree attempted murder; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; second-degree assault; and first-degree criminal contempt, all felonies. He was also convicted of misdemeanor assault.

The Wappingers Central School District board is set to vote on an interim superintendent candidate at a special meeting tonight, Thursday. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. in district offices, located at 167 Myers Corners in Wappingers Falls. The board is considering a handful of candidates, all of them current or former district employees, officials said. A temporary chief needs to be installed by the time outgoing Superintendent Marco Pochintesta officially steps down, said newly elected board President Douglass Bitteker. Pochintesta resigned from Wappingers to take over as chief of the Pearl River School District, a job he starts on Monday. The search for a permanent superintendent candidate will start over the summer, and the district will form a public committee to help find the right person, Bitteker said. Follow @pojonschutzman on Twitter for live updates.

COMING FRIDAY: Sports continues its profiles of the top high school athletes with baseball player of the year Drew Lugbauer. Look for the Spring High School All-Star section in Sunday's paper.

Weekend Caddie, features the annual Dutchess County Women's Amateur golf tournament that begins on Saturday, with all eyes on Hopewell's Anna Ausanio, the three-time defending champion. Get a look at the tournament, Ausanio's top competitors, and her chances of tying the record for all-time tournament victories.

The Journal's editorial Friday takes issue with the way in which the state may try to fund part of the Tappan Zee Bridge project. The Journal says a key vote next week could further cloud the financing plans, and the state should have seen this coming. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration wants to borrow $511 million for the project from a predominately federally funded program that is supposed to be used for water quality improvement projects. Environmental groups and even the federal Environmental Protection Agency either outright oppose the move or have serious questions about using money from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in this way. So does the Journal, which says this funding is supposed to be used to improve long-standing water and sewer problems, not provide financial cover for a construction project creating new environmental challenges.

WEATHER: Tonight's low will be near 56 under partly cloudy skies, according to the National Weather Service. For Friday, mostly sunny and a high of about 85.

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